Table of contents

CUCKFIELD

Cucufeld, Kukufeld (xi. cent.); Cokefeld (xiv. cent.).

The River Ouse in places forms the northern boundary of Cuckfield, and in the east corner it is crossed by
the Southern Railway and part of the Ouse Valley
viaduct, the nearest station being at Haywards Heath,
2 miles east of the town. In the north of the parish is
Great Bentley Farm, and the ground slopes upward
from the Ouse Valley to Little Bentley Farm and Wood,
at an altitude of 200 ft. The centre of the parish lies
from 300 to 400 ft. high, where the town is situated,
but falls again to below 100 ft. in the south. There is a
triangle of roads in the centre of the little town, that
from Haywards Heath coming in from the east and
branching to meet the main road from north to south
in two places. This road runs north to Whiteman's
Green, where a branch turns off westward to Slough
Green. The north road passes through Brook Street,
where there is a Mission Church. South of the town it
runs south-west along the side of Cuckfield Park (to
the north-west) to Anstye, where there is St. John's
Mission Church, and where five roads meet. One of
these leads south to Legh Manor. Hanlye Lane turns
east from the main street before it reaches Whiteman's
Green, and leads past the Cuckfield Institution and
Hanlye Farm to Borde Hill Lane, leading from Haywards Heath to Balcombe, which forms the eastern
boundary. Holy Trinity Church lies at the south end
of the main street. A stream winds across this part of
the parish, forming the southern boundary of Cuckfield
Park and then runs southward. The Baptist chapel
was established about 1776; a Congregational chapel
was built in 1832 and rebuilt in 1869, and there is also
a Methodist chapel.

The soil of the parish is principally loam, with a
subsoil of clay. The chief crops are oats and wheat,
but there is a great deal of pasture.

The ancient parish of Cuckfield had an extent of
about 10,500 acres. About 1875 the central portion
was constituted a separate local government district,
afterwards (1894–1934) known as Cuckfield Urban
District. Soon afterwards the eastern portion was
formed into what became the Haywards Heath Urban
District. In 1934 these, with parts of Lindfield and
Wivelsfield, were amalgamated to form the enlarged
Cuckfield Urban District, with four wards. The rest
of the old parish with detached portions of Balcombe,
Clayton, and Keymer, became Cuckfield Rural Parish,
including Staplefield, which had been made an ecclesiastical parish in 1848.

HAYWARDS HEATH, (fn. 1) a separate ecclesiastical
parish, carved out of Cuckfield in 1865, was formed into
a civil parish in 1894. It now has two ecclesiastical
parishes, St. Wilfred's and St. Richard's. The station,
opened in 1841, is a junction on the Southern Railway
from London to Brighton for Lewes and East Grinstead
lines. The Roman Catholic Priory of Our Lady of
Good Counsel, a house of Augustinian Canonesses, was
founded in 1886, and the church consecrated in 1897.
The Roman Catholic church of St. Paul was built in
1930. There is also a Convent of the Holy Cross in
Bolnore Road. There are Congregational, Methodist,
and Baptist chapels. A weekly stock-market has been
held on Tuesdays since 1868.

The Heath was enclosed in 1861.

The older part of Cuckfield village lies chiefly along
the main street, which runs north and south, with a
deflection at the south end to avoid the church, school,
and other buildings about them. There are in the
village a number of houses which retain chimneystacks and other features of the 17th century, as, for
instance, Marshall's, which has an ashlar front, Maltman's and Maberley's, which are timber-framed with
tile-hanging, and a group of cottages near the church.

The Old Grammar School, (fn. 2) founded c. 1510, is still
in use and has modern extensions to the east of it. It
stands immediately north of the churchyard and is of a
rectangular plan, about 60 ft. by 24 ft., with 2-ft. walls
of ashlar sandstone, and is of two stories: there was
formerly an attic. The roof is covered with Horsham
slabs on the south side and tiles on the north. The
building, which has beams like those at Legh Manor,
Old Beech Farm, &c., is of the second half of the 16th
century. It is of six bays from east to west. (fn. 3) The south
wall has a chamfered plinth and a moulded stringcourse at the first-floor level. In it are six windows,
with moulded features, to each floor, all of three lights
excepting the second from the east in the ground floor:
this is of two lights and occupies the position of the
original doorway, which has been re-set in a low wall
east of the south wall. The east and west walls are
gabled and have diamond-panelled and corbelled
kneelers and the stumps of apex-pinnacles. The west
wall has a three-light window to each story, and the
east wall one to the upper story. On the north side is a
projecting chimney-stack with two detached square
shafts of thin bricks: it retains an original stone fireplace on the first floor. The bays of the ground floor
are divided by moulded ceiling-beams with channelled
soffits and carved stops, and between them are two
lighter longitudinal beams of the same kind. The attic
story was occupied until late in the 19th century by
the schoolmasters. It has now been abolished and the
roof to some extent reconstructed. The original transverse ceiling-beams were raised to a higher level: they
are moulded like those below and have mortices for
former longitudinal ceiling-beams. The beams now
serve as tie-beams to the trusses of the open roof. The
trusses are of queen-post type and at least one seems to
be ancient, although probably remodelled.

A house, now two tenements and shops, just north
of the church on the east side of the main street, has a
15th-century south wing and an early-16th-century
main block and north wing. The west front shows
little detail of age: the two wings have gabled ends;
the north gable retains an elaborately carved bargeboard of c. 1500, the southern has been brought forward in brick, but the beams inside show that it
formerly lined with the other. The upper story of the
middle block appears to have been jettied flush with
the faces of the wings. The interior of the south wing
has heavy, wide, flat ceiling-joists to the lower story and
in the roof space are two 15th-century king-post trusses
dividing the three bays of the roof; the front bay of the
roof has been modernized. The middle block—now
much cut up by modern alterations—was of two-story
hall-type of two bays. The lower ceiling preserves the
original moulded main beams of c. 1500, one crossing
the other, and the original hollow-chamfered joists
remain except where they have been removed for the
modern shop. The roof of the middle block has plain
trusses and side-purlins with wind-braces of ogee
curved form. One braced tie-beam is built close to the
side of the earlier south wing, which here shows some
of its original framing with curved braces. There is a
roof of similar type over the north wing. Of later work
are the fire-places and parts of a 17th-century staircase
in the south wing.

Farther north on the west side of the street is
'Attrees', the residence for a short time of Henry Kingsley, the novelist, and popularly called 'Kingsley's Cottage'. The walls show early-16th-century framing in the
front, partly restored, and there are open-timbered
ceilings with plain beams and joists to both floors. The
plan is T-shaped and there are inserted chimney-stacks
with wide fire-places in the middle of the front range
and at the west end of the back wing. The roof over
the front range is of the 16th-century wind-braced
side-purlin construction.

The Rose and Crown Inn, at the north corner of the
loop-road to Haywards Heath, retains a late-16th-century projecting chimney-stack at its north end, with
three detached square shafts set close together under a
single capping.

Macaulay House, formerly Ockenden House, the
seat of the Burrell family, stands west of the village and
is mostly of 16th-century timber-framing but has a
short wing at the south end, of stone, probably added
after a fire in 1608. (fn. 4) The plan extends back, to the
west, behind the east range, in an irregular fashion and
contains the principal entrance to the north, and west
of it the main staircase, while beyond are the kitchen
and offices. Some part of these buildings is probably
of the 17th century, but a fire-place on the first floor
suggests that here also may have been some of the earlier
16th-century house. Additions and alterations were
made in 1858. The south wing of ashlar projects
eastwards from the main front and is of two stories and
attics, marked by moulded string-courses, and has a
gable head with corbelled kneelers and ball-finials. The
windows are original, as is the four-centred doorway.
On the south side is a projecting chimney-stack which
carries a fine range of five detached square shafts of
brick. The east range, of timber-framing covered with
rough-cast cement, is low, the upper windows being
semi-dormers in the roof. In the middle bay is a gablehead and in front of it is a gabled porch-wing with
an overhanging upper story on moulded bressummers,
and a moulded barge-board. The outer entrance is now
filled in, but the old four-centred inner doorway of oak
can be seen inside the present library, which has a stone
fire-place with a four-centred head and some plain late16th-century panelling with fluted pilasters; the room
next south and the rooms above them are similarly
treated. The room in the stone-built part has a stone
fire-place with carved mouldings, foliage spandrels, and
a key-block with the initial B, probably of the 18th
century. The room has early-17th-century panelling
with fluted pilasters, and a plaster ceiling of exotic
character. The rooms above, on the first and second
floors, have similar panelling, and another bedroom in
the westernmost wing also has a Tudor fire-place and
panelling.

Cuckfield Park dates from c. 1580. The plan is
now rectangular about a long and narrow courtyard
the longer sides facing approximately north and south
and entrance being in the east front. The original plan
was probably L-shaped, consisting of the present east
range and the range north of the courtyard, with the
stair-hall in the angle; but the north range has been
much altered externally. The pantry, &c., closing the
west end of the courtyard, seems to be of the 18th
century. There are some rain-water heads dated 1738
which may be contemporary with this west range as
well as with much of the fenestration in the north
front. The south range, containing the drawing-room
and dining-room, was added in 1848–51. (fn. 5) The two
wings extending from the west end, containing a conservatory and the kitchen and offices, are modern.

The building consists of a basement—mostly cellars
under the east range, but with windows in the other
ranges—and two stories above, and there are attics to
the east range. The ground floor of the south range is
level with that of the east range, but that of the north
range is level with the first quarter-landing of the staircase, five steps above the entrance hall, the basement
being loftier than the east cellars. This change of levels
is probably the result of 18th-century alterations.

The walls are of brick, nearly all concealed by a
stucco facing, and the roofs are covered mostly with
Horsham slabs, but in parts (at the back) there is tiling.

The east elevation is symmetrical, with a two-storied
porch-wing in the middle. The entrance to the porch,
which seems to be modern, (fn. 6) has moulded jambs and
a four-centred arch all cemented. The inner doorway
has chamfered jambs and arch. The first-floor window
is of two lights. Above the entrance and below the
upper sill-level are two moulded string-courses: the
wall-face is recessed deeply between them and has a
square stone with a panel carved with a shield of the
arms of Sergison. The angles of the porch have threequarter octagonal pilasters, with pepper-pot finials
rising above the embattled parapet.

In the main wall on either side of the porch are four
windows, the nearest narrow and the others of two
lights with wooden frames, mullions, and transoms and
with moulded labels of cement, like the wall-face. The
first-floor windows are similar but without the labels,
and the wall has a moulded eaves-course and deep
frieze. In the roof are five dormer windows, each of
two lights and with extraordinarily large moulded
cornices and gabled heads with tall oak pinnacle-posts
at the bases and apices. Both the cornice and gable of
each are covered with lead and in the tympana are
coats of arms also in lead. Above the ridge of the roof
of this range is the tip of a higher gable of the main
staircase wing: it has a barge-board carved with a
guilloche ornament and an apex pinnacle-post and
pendant. A similar gable-tip is in line with the south
range but here the barge-board is plain and the gable
is probably later. In the north elevation the end of the
east range is gabled and has a pepper-pot pinnacle at
the apex. The end of the west range is also gabled;
it has a modern basement (kitchen) window, where the
ground-level outside has been lowered. Between the
gabled bays is a range of seven mid-18th-century sashwindows to the ground and first floors. The roof for
the eastern two-thirds of the range is lower than that of
the east range and covered with old slabs: in the western
third—beyond the chimney-stack above the boudoir
fire-place—it is still lower and covered with tiles.

The modern south front is symmetrically treated
with a middle and two end gabled bays slightly projecting from the wall plane between, and each containing a three-sided bay window of two stories.

The back (west) wall has modern windows to the
pantry and the back staircase. A small patch of exposed
brick-work near the north-west corner shows late-17thcentury red bricks with some random blue bricks. The
chimney-stacks generally are rectangular and of old thin
bricks, but most of them have modern square and twisted
shafts above them. The south wall of the north range
towards the courtyard is cemented; it has a doorway
and modern window to the basement, three windows
to the ground of two lights with wood mullions and
transoms and plastered labels to the heads, and three
similar first-floor windows, of which two are carried
above the eaves as half-dormers with gabled heads. The
north side of the south range towards the court is of
whitened bricks and has somewhat similar windows.
The east side of the court, the stair hall, is tile-hung,
and the west side of brick.

The hall is the original middle hall and northern
room now thrown into one chamber of about 42 ft.
long. The original ceiling of the (former) north room
is in place and it has been copied in the ceiling of the
remainder. Between the hall and the south morningroom is a carved oak screen, and both this room and the
former north room have original fire-places in the west
wall. In the same wall are archways opening from the
hall to the main staircase and to the corridor running
down the north side of the south range. The old ceiling
is divided into square panels by moulded ribs and is
decorated with moulded pendants and designs in relief,
floral, grotesque, and heraldic. The central square
panel contains a shield with the arms and initials of
Queen Elizabeth. The panels flanking the square
contain a rose, fleur de lis, pomegranate, and portcullis
respectively; other squares have a checky shield, devices
of an eagle, a horse rampant with a slip of oak in its
mouth, a chained bull, and a spotted leopard; also a
shield with a lion rampant, and a roundel enclosing a
mounted knight wearing a checky cloak and bearing a
checky shield. (fn. 7)

The fire-place has moulded stone jambs and a
four-centred arch in a square head with plain spandrels.
In it is an iron fire-back with the royal arms, the initials
ER, and date 1585. Above the fire-place is an overmantel of three bays and two tiers divided by fluted
pilasters and carved acanthus-leaf consoles: the lower
panels have moulded and dentilled frames and the
middle one is inlaid with lines of holly wood and ebony;
the upper panels have enriched moulded frames and
raised centres of mouldings and roundels with high
relief lions' heads; a moulded and embattled capping
above the lower panels breaks forward over the
pilasters. The walls are lined with four tiers of early-17th-century panelling: there is a moulded cornice
with beaded enrichment and over that a painted frieze
of scrolled foliage.

The west wall of the south part of the hall—the
former entrance hall—is lined with four tiers of late-16th-century panelling with a moulded capping and then
another tier of panels inlaid with frames of alternate
pieces of ebony and holly and divided by fluted pilasters,
mostly replaced by plain muntins. The opening to the
staircase is a segmental arch of oak with a middle
pendant post and half-pendants against the reveals. The
opening to the corridor is similarly treated, but the sidependants are modern.

At the south end of the hall is the carved screen between it and the morning-room: the plain back of it is
towards the hall, probably not the original arrangement:
it is just plain panelling with two doorways containing
18th-century doors. The face towards the morningroom is divided into five bays by detached fluted shafts
with Corinthian capitals; these carry an entablature
which breaks forward over them: the frieze is fluted
and beaded and on the projecting parts of it are carved
in high relief the heads of various beasts—pigs, bulls,
lions, and sheep. The second and fourth bays are the
doorways and have enriched segmental arches with
circular sinkings in the spandrels. The other bays are
closed and have plinth panels with jewelled ornament,
and upper panels with fluted pilasters having moulded
caps, and enriched round arches; the tympana are filled
with radiating fluting and the Sergison crest of a
dolphin. The surface of each below the springing-line
is treated with raised rectangular compartments seven
in height and four in width, each with a jewelled or
diamond-shaped facet. Above the entablature are five
bays of panelling separated by pilasters carved as
terminal figures of men carrying on their heads bunches
of fruit, &c. The upper cornice breaks forward over
them and between them the soffit is carved with jewelled
ornament. The panels are carved: the middle bay has a
very elaborate oval cartouche with seated allegorical
figures above holding swords, winged cherubs below,
masks, &c., round the date 1581: a scroll above bears
the words PIETATE LVSTRA. The others have enriched
strap-work frames with monsters' heads, &c., about
shields and badges. On either side of the middle are the
arms of Bowyer (fn. 8) and Vaux; and the westernmost panel
has a lion crest with the motto 'Guardez la foy'.

The fire-place is of stone and is flanked by oak
fluted pilasters, carried up to enclose the overmantel,
of which the lower panels are inlaid with lozenge
patterns in lines; the upper have enriched round arches
and foliage spandrels; a frieze above is decorated with
inlaid patterns and jewel ornament. The room is lined
with six tiers of panelling, some of it of the late 16th century and some modern. The ceiling is open-timbered,
with old stop-chamfered beams and modern joists.

The main staircase, which rises from the basement
to the second floor, is of open well type with equal
flights of five steps on four sides. It has 7¾-inch square
newels with turned square moulded heads and pendants,
3¼-inch turned symmetrical balusters, and moulded
handrails. In the north wall in the basement is a good
original oak doorway with a moulded frame having
base-stops carved with double scrolls: it has an ancient
plain door with an original iron lock with strap
scutcheon-plates. Another ancient chamfered oak
doorway opens into the cellar under the hall. The
ground floor of the north range is level with the first
landing of the stair above the hall: it has a lobby with
late-16th-century panelling from elsewhere, and a
passage along the south side with 18th-century panelling. The boudoir, entered from the passage, has a
modern stone fire-place flanked by pairs of fluted Ionic
shafts of oak on pedestals carved with strap ornament.
The mantel moulding is enriched with carving and
has the date 1579: it breaks forward over the pairs of
shafts where it is carved (south) with the initials HB
tied together by a knot and (north) H E also knotted,
for Henry and Elizabeth Bowyer. The three bays of
the overmantel contain frames of strap ornament: the
middle has a shield carved with the arms of Bowyer,
impaling Vaux with five quarterings. The room is lined
with Elizabethan panelling in bays, with doors to
match. In the angles are fluted pilasters with Ionic
caps and panelled pedestals: a frieze is divided in
panels of strap-work and jewel ornament; probably
the whole of the panelling is re-set work. The room
next west, an office also entered from the passage, is
lined with late-16th-century panelling, a little later
than that of the bounoir, and a fluted frieze.

The modern drawing-room, forming the middle
part of the south range, contains a late-17th-century
north chimney-piece. The fire-place is of marble with
a deal surround, having side-pilasters with consoles and
applied festoons of foliage, a frieze also with applied
carving of fruit and flowers, and a moulded and dentilled
mantel-shelf. The overmantel is a large panel with an
applied cartouche having palms and swags of fruit and
foliage and pendants, all of the Grinling Gibbons
style of carving. The dining-room—the westernmost
chamber of the south range—has a fire-place of stone,
dated 1594, re-set from elsewhere. It has side-pilasters
with trophies of fruit, &c., and a mantel or lintel with
the date in a small middle panel flanked by trophies of
musical instruments, &c., two oval panels with the
initials [H B E] tied by ribands, &c. An iron fire-back with
the Stuart royal arms and supporters is dated 1618.
The mantel-shelf is modern. The overmantel is of two
deep oak panels with carved moulded frames, divided
and flanked by pilasters carved with foliage. The room
is lined with early-17th-century panelling in seven tiers,
not all of one period, and partly modern.

On the first floor the room over the boudoir, in the
north range, is lined with late-16th-century panelling
and has a west fire-place with fluted pilasters and a
plain overmantel. The room next west is also lined with
like panelling and has a west overmantel in two tiers
of two dates of late-16th-century panelling, three bays
wide, the middle lower bay having an applied central
carving of the half figure of a man and grape ornament.
The passage cut off the south side of this range is lined
with 18th-century panelling, but at its west end is an
original (16th-century) moulded oak door-frame with
moulded base-stops. There is some early-18th-century
bolection-moulded panelling in the rooms of the east
front and in rooms over the drawing-room.

The second floor of the east front is a range of five
attic bedrooms, all entered from a corridor by moulded
oak door-frames of the 16th century, with battened
doors hung by ornamental strap-hinges. No distinctive
roof construction is visible.

Some way in front of the east entrance is the isolated
gate-house of late-16th-century brick and of two stories;
it has octagonal angle-turrets rising above the main
roof and lighted by loops: those to the first floor are
bulls-eyes and round-headed lights. The gateways have
cemented four-centred arches in square heads with
hooks for former gates, and the first floor has east and
west windows of three square-headed lights with
moulded mullions, jambs, and labels. The parapets of
both main part and turrets have an odd collection of
pinnacles on them, some with moulded finials and some
shorter with lozenge facets. The gateway inside is
paved with Purbeck slabs. The south-east turret contains a stair-vice, the others are cupboards: the upper
part of the south-west turret has a clock with a wooden
dial towards the house, and over it is a lead cupola for
a bell. In the north-east turret, first floor, is a small
arched fire-place. The upper main chamber has an
open-timbered ceiling with plain beams and small joists:
the turrets have heavy flat ceiling-joists.

An avenue of lime-trees leads up to the gate-house
from the main road. A garden wall setting back, along
the north side of the avenue, is partly of 16th-century
bricks and contains a square window of some former
building.

Slough Place, a mile north-west of the village, is a
much altered house of which the back wing, facing
south, dates from about 1540: the lower story of this
front is of 18th-century brick; the upper story is tilehung, but the old timber-framing is exposed inside. The
west end retains an original chimney-stack: it has a great
fire-place, 11½ ft. wide, and is built of red brick with
diaper ornament in blue headers. It has a crow-stepped
gable and a great square shaft with a V-shaped pilaster
on each face. The room which it serves is now a
kitchen, but appears to have been the original hall, with
the passage next east of it, and has chamfered ceiling
beams: another beam on the first floor is stop-moulded.
A door on the first floor was probably the original front
door: it is of three long panels with moulded styles and
muntins and moulded back-rails: it has plain straphinges and had an oak lock. A lower wing to the north
of the kitchen seems to have been an early outbuilding;
it is built of 16th-century bricks on stone foundations
and has an 8-ft. fire-place and a similar chimney shaft.

Whitehouse Farm, about 1 mile west of Slough
Place, is a mid-16th-century house. The lower story
has walls of late 17th-century red and black bricks;
the upper story is tile-hung, but the timber-framing has
lately been exposed internally and shows several curved
braces of the period. The roof over the north-east end
has the typical wind-braced purlins and wide flat
rafters, but over the other part the timbers appear to
be of somewhat later alteration. The great chimneystack is at the south-east end and has a wide fire-place
and rebated shaft of thin bricks with a V-shaped pilaster
on the other face. The chimney-stack at the other end
is a later addition, as it covers (above) the original
framing and plaster infilling of the gable-head. Some
of the original plaster, on interlacing lathing, is decorated with dotted markings made with the point of a
five-toothed comb instead of the more usual lined
combing.

Pain's Place, about 2 miles south of the village, is of
L-shaped plan; the main block, facing south, is of about
the same age as Slough Place and has an end chimneystack of the same design, except that the crow-stepping
of half the gable has been removed. In it is a wide
fire-place on the ground floor and a Tudor stone fireplace of plain design on the first floor. The back wing,
extending northwards from the east end with a central
chimney-stack, is an early-17th-century addition, as is
probably the westernmost bay of the main block, as well
as a semi-winding staircase built in the angle of the two
ranges. The house has suffered many changes in later
times: no timber-framing is visible externally, but
within the angle staircase both wings show the framing
with curved braces, and the south range has a moulded
oak window-frame on the first floor, evidently put out
of use when the stair was added.

Lyes Farm, east of Pain's Place, was a small late16th-century house of timber framing, facing south
and with a projecting chimney-stack of stone on its
north side. This was enclosed by a late-17th-century
enlargement. Above it is the original brick shaft, of a
cross plan, with the late-17th-century shaft built
against its north side. Hook House, farther east, is a
much repaired house with a chimney-stack of c. 1600
projecting at the west end. The front of the house is
of modern brick, but some of the ancient timberframing is exposed in the back wall, enclosed by a
lean-to addition. Above the tiled roof is a modern
central chimney-stack. Near by are Bridge House and
Lower Ridges Farm, both of which have 17th-century
chimney-stacks.

Legh Manor (fn. 9) stands about 1½ miles south-west
of the parish church. The oldest part of the house is
the present south range, with a south porch-wing
which dates from about 1540–50. On the north side,
opposite the porch, was a small square vestibule which
probably served as a combined entrance and stair-hall.
The construction of the upper story of the range suggests that it was originally one long gallery, subsequently divided into two rooms with a middle passage.
Later in the century the short north wing, probably
for kitchen and offices, was added beyond the vestibule,
pairing on the east side with the south range, to make
the plan a modified H-shape. Probably the staircase
was not removed from the vestibule to its present
position in the north wing until later. There was a
porch east of the vestibule before the present entrancehall was built, but its date is uncertain. The entrancehall and east porch were built for the late Sir William
Chance, and other repairs and alterations carried out.
The house and farm of about 100 acres have now
been presented by Lady Chance to the Sussex Archaeological Trust and the house is open to visitors: it contains interesting tapestries and furniture of various
periods.

The south front has a brick plinth in which are two
stone windows of two lights to the long cellar below the
range, a later excavation; the entrance is in the east wall.
Above the plinth the front is wholly tile-hung. The
middle porch is gabled and has a moulded barge-board;
the entrance has a moulded square frame but modern
doors. None of the windows in this front is old. The
roof is covered with Horsham slabs. The east and west
ends of the range are of brick and have projecting
chimney-stacks of diapered brickwork, each with two
square shafts set diagonally. The main roof encroaches
on the bottoms of the shafts, having been raised later.
The east end of the north wing has a similar stack
without the diaper. Between the ranges is the modern
porch with a pent-roof against the modern east wall of
the entrance hall. The north side is of plain brickwork
below and has a stone mullioned window of five lights
with a transom, all restored; the upper story, of timberframing, is tile-hung and has an Elizabethan woodframed window of five lights. In the west half of the
wall is a similar four-light window to the lower story
and above it a small two-light window. West of this,
on the first floor, was a doorway into some further extension that has disappeared.

The lower story of the south range formed two
chambers, the eastern a hall of three bays and the
western a parlour of two bays, the screens-passage of
the hall with north and south doorways being in the
middle bay of the five. The hall has a moulded anglepost in each corner and the bays are marked by moulded
transverse ceiling-beams, which meet a similarly
moulded longitudinal beam, and wall-beams; all have
channelled soffits, except that between the middle and
west bays, which is carried on plain projecting storyposts and marks the position of the former hall-screen.
The original north window is of six lights with a
moulded middle master mullion. The south doorway
has a moulded square frame with sunk facings and
contains a fine old door of twenty panels formed by
moulded and channelled muntins and rails, nailstudded: the back of the door is of sloping battens. It is
hung by strap-hinges and has an iron knocker. The
north doorway, to the vestibule, also has a moulded and
channelled frame; in it is a plain old battened door.
The east fire-place is modern. The parlour has similar
moulded beams, partly renewed; the ceiling is plastered.

The south window is modern, but the moulded posts
flanking it are ancient. In the west wall is a stone fireplace with moulded jambs and flat four-centred arch
in a square head. The spandrels are carved with foliage
and shields, the southern with I H and the northern
with M H: (fn. 10) above the arch is a frieze of fluted and
dart ornament. (fn. 11)

The upper story has a cross-passage occupying the
middle bay, between the two bedrooms. The east
bedroom—above the hall—has moulded story-posts
in the angles; the western pair have shaped brackets
at the top, now partly hidden by the partition. Against
the flat plastered ceiling are moulded beams against
the walls with deeper modern cornices above them.
The west room is similar; but above the middle passage
is a coved ceiling springing from the north and south
walls, said to be continued over the two bedrooms, but
hidden from view. It is doubtful if the coving is
original. The partitions between passage and bedrooms
have each a moulded doorway with an old battened
door. The west bedroom has a blocked north window
of six lights with moulded mullions and iron middle
stanchions. The exposed framing in the east room
shows that there was a similar window there, and each
room had two small high windows flanking the existing
south windows; their stone fire-places are like that to
the west parlour but have no initials. The middle
passage has a moulded doorway in the north wall but
no door. The south wall has an old chamfered doorframe and moulded two-panelled door opening into
the room over the porch. Above the doorway is an
open balustrade with short symmetrically turned
balusters of about 1600.

The middle part of the plan consists of the modern
entrance hall and the old vestibule behind it, with the
rooms over them. The wall between the hall and the
vestibule has been removed. The beam above it has a
stopped moulding in the middle of it, indicating probably the position of the former wide entrance. A
doorway, with old nail-studded door, from the hall
into the east room of the north wing, was moved here
from the north wall of the vestibule. The north doorway in the vestibule, formerly in the abolished east
wall, with moulded posts and carved base-stops, leads
to the staircase.

In the north wing the east room has a repaired stone
window in the north wall, in which is reset a mid-16th-century shield of arms of Hussey, ermine three bars gules,
and above it the name 'hwfee' in black-letter. The
staircase has been reset west of this room, fitting rather
awkwardly into the back room, which is now used as a
pantry. It has a round central newel post cut off square
at the level of the second floor. The steps are modern
up to the first-floor level but above this they are ancient,
with treads and risers of thick oak boards, except the
two top steps, which are solid balks. On the ground
floor the stair is partly supported by a post which appears to be a re-used beam with a channelled face. At
the foot of the second-floor stairs is fixed an old battened
door. The room over the vestibule shows old framing
in the walls: besides the plain doorway from the staircase there appears to have been another west of it,
probably earlier. Also in the west wall is an old
chamfered doorway now opening into the modern
part. The north-east bedroom has a moulded stone
fire-place with plain spandrels. In the west wall the
doorway has an old plain battened door with moulded
rails, and the room is lighted by the wood-framed
window in the north wall. The roof above the north
wing has queen-post trusses and wind-braced sidepurlins.

Anstye Farm, at the fork of the Brighton and Bolney
roads, is a 15th-century house, facing north, retaining
evidence of a hall-place of two bays and two-storied
wing at the west end. The eastern bay dates from the
late 16th century, when first floor and central chimneystack were inserted in the hall. The north front shows
framing, with curved braces to the original part and
plain square framing to the eastern extension; most of
the lower story has walls of later brick, but some of the
story-posts remain from the ground upwards. The
easternmost bay has stone foundations. The original
ceiling-joists of the 15th-century west wing are exposed:
those of the inserted floor in the site of the hall are stopchamfered. Of the original roof the usual central purlin
is visible, but the trusses are concealed in the plastered
partitions.

Butler's Farm, about 500 yards south-west of Anstye
Farm, is also of about 1450, consisting originally of a
hall of two bays, with a two-storied wing east of it. The
framing is much the same as at Anstye Farm but much
more of it is exposed outside. Inside there remains the
9-ft.-wide inserted fire-place of the 16th or 17th century, reduced for a modern grate. The original east
wall of the hall has a fine moulded wall-beam, partly
mutilated, and an original two-centred doorway to the
wing: the upper part of the same wall has old curved
braces. Against the east face of the inserted chimneystack is the middle roof-truss of the hall with arched
braces below the tie-beam (one brace missing); most
of the king-post is hidden by the upper ceiling. The
south room of the wing has the original wide ceilingjoists exposed. The ground-floor rooms on the hall site
have small stop-chamfered joists of the 16th or 17th
century and north of the fire-place is a small entrancelobby which has a moulded beam of the same period.
The west wall of the house is entirely of modern brick:
it is possible that there was another wing here.

In this neighbourhood are several ancient houses.
Riddens Farm is apparently a late-16th-century house,
retaining a good projecting chimney-stack at its east
end, of stone, with three detached diagonal shafts of
brick. The plan is rectangular, but the east bay is crossgabled. Some of the original wood-framing is exposed,
especially in the back (north) wall. Above the western
part is a central chimney of late-17th-century bricks.
There are wide fire-places and stop-chamfered ceilingbeams inside. Bishopstone Farm has been much altered,
but retains evidence of a late-15th-century origin in its
king-post roof-trusses and braced wall-framing. The
north wall shows some of the old framing outside, but
the east front is of red and black bricks of the early 18th
century. Hilder's Farm is a small house of two bays
with timber-framed front and back walls, and brick
and tile-hung end walls. The house may be part of
a larger one of c. 1600. Lovell's Farm is a mid- to
late-17th-century house of brick and timber-framing
covered with weather-boarding. It has a chimneystack at each gable-end of the usual rebated type;
there are old open-timbered ceilings, and a cupboard
next to the southern wide fire-place has an early-17th-century panelled door. On or near the by-road from
Slough Green to Anstye are several old buildings. Deak's
Farm and Pondtail Cottage have features of 17th-century date. Hoadsherf Farm (or 'Hodshrove') has
been much altered, but the north end has timber-framing exposed in the upper story, suggesting a 15th- or
early-16th-century origin. Unfortunately all evidence,
inside, of possible timber construction of the period is
concealed. There are early-17th-century joists in the
lower ceilings and a central chimney-stack with wide
fire-places. A cottage just east of Hoadsherf has a
chimney-stack inscribed I V 1722: it has brick and
tile-hung walls and a tiled roof with hipped ends and
is probably all of the one date. A road from west of
Slough Green southwards past Broxmead has several
ancient buildings. A farm-house, south of the Slough
Green road and on the east side of the road, has
exposed square framing to the upper story. A cottage
on the opposite side of the road is probably a late-16th-century building, showing some ancient timber-framing
in the east front and a tiny original window with a
moulded frame. Barnsnape Farm, about ¼ mile farther
south on the west side of the road, is probably of early17th-century date. It is of rectangular plan with a
middle lower wing behind showing some old framing;
the main walls are of brick, the upper story tile-hung
on timber-framing. Broxmead Farm is a large and tall
building with walls almost entirely of timber-framing
with plaster infilling, and of mid- to late-17th-century
date. The plan is rectangular, with a low porch in the
middle of the east front and a contemporary lean-to
parallel outbuilding along the back part. All of these
houses have 17th-century central chimney-stacks.

Near the junction of Broxmead Lane and Pickwell
Lane is a 17th-century cottage now called 'Cuthedges',
of old square timber-framing; and another house about
¼ mile farther east is of 17th-century origin and has
walls of square timber-framing in four bays, weatherboarded at the back, on stone foundations. The central
chimney-stack above the roof is of 18th-century and
modern bricks, but inside are an original wide fire-place
and open-timbered ceilings.

Old Beech Farm, just off the south side of the road
from Cuckfield to Handcross, is a house of the second
half of the 16th century. The gabled north end has original framing and a middle window of three lights, flanked
by two small blocked windows: the gable-head projects
and has a moulded bressummer on shaped brackets
carved with guilloche ornament. There are other
blocked windows in the east front, with moulded frames
and mullions concealed by tile-hanging but visible inside.
The central chimney-stack, of cross plan in thin bricks,
has a fine wide fire-place of stone with chamfered jambs
and arch, and above it is a moulded and enriched oak
cornice to the mantel-shelf. Both ground- and firstfloor ceilings have moulded and channelled beams like
those at Cuckfield Grammar School, Legh Manor, &c.
The roof has queen-post trusses and side-purlins supported by straight wind-braces.

North of Slough Place is Bigg's Farm, a complete house
of the first half of the 15th century, which had a great
hall, a north solar wing, and a south buttery wing.
About 1600 the first floor was inserted in the hall and,
then or later, the second floor and the great central
chimney-stack in the southern of the two bays of the hall
were added. The walls of the lower story are of brick,
replacing old timber-framing; the upper story is mostly
tile-hung, but the north end shows old framing, including one of the curved braces typical of the period: the
windows are latticed; one in the west front has a 16th-century moulded frame and ancient quarries. The roof,
steep-pitched and with hipped ends, is covered with
mossy Horsham slabs for two-thirds of its height: the top
part is tiled. The (former) great hall retains its original
15th-century moulded wall-beam across the north end,
where there is a doorway, with a pointed head, into the
solar wing. The ceiling of the ground floor has 17th-century chamfered beams and joists. On the south side
is a great fire-place with a huge flue above it and a very
large hearth-stone. Close to the north wall there is a
patch of pavement made up of floor-tiles shaped to form
a pattern of octagons about squares, an unusual feature
in Sussex, and perhaps original. The remainder of the
floor is of very large irregular slabs. The southern
room, the former buttery wing, has the original wide
flat ceiling-joists and another wide fire-place. The first
floor shows the framing, with curved braces, &c., in the
upper part of the north wall of the hall, and in the
middle, dividing the hall into two 11½-ft. bays, is the
original roof-truss: this has a heavy cambered and
chamfered tie-beam showing in the bedroom: mortices
indicate former curved braces below it. Above the
tie-beam is an octagonal king-post with a moulded
capital above which are four-way braces.

In the great fire-place is an iron fire-back with the
royal arms and initials C. R. and a pair of ancient
fire-dogs which were discovered buried on the site.

Near by are Cleaver's Farm, Misbrooks Farm, and
Little Misbrooks, all with 17th-century chimney-stacks.

Pilstye, 2½ miles north of the church, has two ancient
houses close together; one of stone, dated 1647, is now
the farm-house. The other, a timber-framed house of
late-15th-century date, had a great hall of two bays of
12 and 13 ft., an east solar wing, and west buttery wing,
each a 9-ft. bay flush with the hall. In the second half
of the 16th century a great stone chimney-stack was
inserted, filling the whole of the 12-ft. western bay, with
a space south of it for the stairs and access to the buttery
wing. The great fire-place has two circular domed ovens
in the back of it, with two smaller ovens below them.
At the same time the first floor was inserted in the hallspace. Early in the 19th century the original west wall
was replaced by one of stone, and about the same time
the roof was reconstructed. Two of the original kingpost trusses were left, but the central purlin and the
collar beams were removed. The western fire-place in
the great stack was filled in and the chimney-stack was
cut into above it to enlarge the bedroom in the wing.
The south front is of timber-framing divided by storyposts into the four bays and retaining one curved brace
in the side of the hall. The doorway opens direct into
the middle room. The east end retains two of the
curved braces, and the back of the same bay two others.
The second bay from the west (the side of the chimneystack) and the whole of the west wall are of stone ashlar,
the latter with the date 1822. The central chimneyshaft, of thin bricks in a cross plan, appears unusually
tall from the lowering of the roof. The middle room
with the large fire-place has a 16th-century stopchamfered transverse beam and east of it are stopchamfered joists: those west of it between the beam and
the chimney-breast are smaller and later. Between this
room and the two rooms east of it (on the site of the
solar) is an original partition made up of closely set
battens with thinner boards between them. The ceiling
in the solar wing has the original wide flat ceiling-joists,
and the trimming in them suggests the position of a
former stair against the north wall. The ceiling in the
former west buttery has been more altered and has a
chamfered middle beam and smaller joists. In the
middle bedroom is a transverse beam above that in the
room below: it has a series of mortices for former studs
and may have had some connexion with the former
smoke-flue to the great hall.

The stone building is of T-shaped plan, the stem
pointing south. Both wings were gabled, but a third story
was added in 1822. The original windows, of two or
three lights, have moulded jambs, heads, mullions, and
drip-stones. The principal entrance is in the east wall
of the southern wing close to the northern cross-wing
and has a round head with the initials and date H G
A G 1647 (fn. 12). It opens into an entrance hall which is
paved with 12-in. floor-tiles and has at its west end an
early-18th-century staircase with 2-in. turned balusters
and plain newels: it cuts across a tall transomed window
in the west wall. The room south of the entrance-hall
has a simple ribbed plastered ceiling, a circle in a square
with roses in the centre and spandrels. The other wing
has two rooms; the western and smaller room also has
a ribbed ceiling, patterned as a rectangle enclosing a
circle and four small lozenge panels, each with a rosette
centre. The other room, now the kitchen, has a north
doorway, formerly external but now enclosed by an
outbuilding: it has a four-centred head and horizontal
drip-stone. Between the two rooms is a central chimneystack: the kitchen has a 9-ft.-wide fire-place and next
south of it is the original semi-winding staircase with
some shaped flat balusters on the upper landing. The
house possesses one iron fire-back of a late and unusual
type, of concave plan with straight side-wings hinged
to it: it bears a shield of arms charged with a fesse
engrailed between three roundels.

Borde Hill Place, 1¾ miles north-east of the church,
is a large house built of local stone and facing north. It
is all modern except the west end built in 1598. This
was a rectangular structure facing west and having a
middle porch: there was probably a kitchen wing at
the back on the site of the present entrance hall, where
some old masonry is incorporated in the north wall.
The old part was roofed as two attached parallel wings
with gabled ends to the east and west. In the 18th
century the roofs were altered and a small gable was
inserted between the two old gables on the west front.
The gable-heads are coped and have typical pinnacles
on the kneelers and apices. The walls of ashlar have
moulded string-courses at the first- and second-floor
levels. The drawing-room, which fills the north half
of the block, has two north windows of four lights and
west of them a three-sided bay window of five lights,
and in the west wall a window of five lights, all with
transoms, moulded stone mullions, &c. The square
south-western chamber has a corresponding west
window of five lights and a south window of four; and
the stair-hall, the eastern part of the south half, another
of four lights. The bay window has a plain parapet
above the second story, and behind it is an original
stone dormer-window of two lights with gable and
pinnacles. The windows above those of the groundfloor are reduced by one light in each story. On the
south side are two modern wooden dormer windows
with gable heads. The west porch has a restored doorway with a four-centred arch in a square head, and above
it is a three-light window. The head of the porch is of
the 18th century, but incorporates the panelled pinnacles
of the original gable, and above the window-label is
carved S 1598 B (for Stephen Boord). In the wall between the two halves is a chimney-stack that has three
conjoined diagonal square shafts above the roof, with
later shafts flanking them, and another stack above the
east end of the north half with similar shafts also appears
to be ancient. East of the drawing-room is the modern
entrance hall and north porch.

The drawing-room has an ornate ribbed ceiling
consisting of a series of pointed quatrefoils overlapping
at the points to form small squares: the centres of the
quatrefoils have fluted conical pendants, and there are
smaller similar pendants at two corners of each small
square, the other two corners of the square having a
low-relief spray design. The centres of the eight-sided
panels between the quatrefoils contain various designs;
most of the ornament is cast from the same moulds
as those in other Sussex houses of the same period, but
much of the ceiling is said to be of wood. The design
is carried into the soffits of the bay and other window
recesses. All the window reveals have in addition a deep
frieze representing a draped pavilion or canopy with
festoons of fruit, &c., probably a late-17th-century
addition. The south fire-place is of late-18th-century
date set in a large recess with a segmental arch. The
south-western room has a ceiling with flat ribs enriched
with a running design of grapes and other fruit; two
diagonal square panels bear a badge of a falcon on a
tower, and two others have a man's head in profile
wearing a fool's crown. There is also a frieze with a
running design of grapes and pomegranates. The walls
are lined with late-16th-century oak panelling up to the
plaster frieze, divided by fluted pilasters with moulded
caps; at the top is a fluted frieze and moulded cornice.
The chimney-piece has an inlaid oak overmantel of
three bays divided by tapering fluted pilasters; each
bay has a raised moulded and gadrooned frame enclosing a raised centre. Above is an entablature with
carved brackets and jewelled centres to the frieze.

A loose board above the cornice, with the date 1569,
was taken from a former barn on the estate. The stone
fire-place is of an earlier 16th-century Renaissance
design rather than Elizabethan, the lintel being carved
in low relief with a running design in thin riband and
foliage, with two pairs of birds: the stone mantel-shelf
is also carved with roses and foliage. The ancient
opening has been fitted with a stone arch dated 1895.

The south wall of the drawing-room is a thick one
and had a doorway at the east end to the stair, now
blocked to form a recess: next north of the east entrance
to the drawing-room two other recesses towards the
modern entrance-hall suggest former doorways. The
west porch opens into a small lobby next the middle
chimney-stack, with doorways to the two chambers.

The stair-hall, forming the south-eastern quarter of
the plan, has late-16th-century wall lining. The stair,
of which the lower flight has been restored, rises about
a framed rectangular centre to the second floor, the
upper flight having channelled and moulded angleposts, on the south face of the rectangular central
framing, with turned and moulded heads.

On the first-floor landing the thick wall to the rooms
over the drawing-room has two ancient stone doorways
in it, close together. The eastern has moulded jambs
and a round head and contains a moulded oak frame
and a heavy oak door of three nail-studded battens on
sloping back-rails. The western doorway has similarly
moulded jambs and four-centred arch in a square head
with a similar heavy door. The eastern doorway leads
to a lobby and dressing-room partitioned off from the
great chamber above the drawing-room. The dressingroom is lined with mid-17th-century panelling and the
bedroom with late-Elizabethan panelling, divided by
fluted pilasters that have panelled pedestals with inlay
ornament and super-pilasters with inlaid flower designs.
The fire-place has modern side-pilasters and is lined
with Dutch tiles. The overmantel is of three bays:
the middle has a gadrooned frame like that on the
ground floor, but the raised centre bears the inlaid date
1601; the side-bays have round-headed panels and are
inlaid with conventional vase and flower designs in
coloured woods. Around the room is a frieze of panels
carved with rosette centres and fluting. Against the
north wall, one in the bedroom and the other in the
dressing-room, dividing the length into three bays, are
two contemporary moulded oak posts, 12 in. wide and
6 in. deep, brought out at the top with shaped corbels;
they probably have some connexion with former rooftrusses. The square south-west bedroom is lined with
plainer Elizabethan panelling with frieze panels. Above
is a plastered frieze with masks, supported by mermaids.
The fire-place has moulded stone jambs and a straightsided Tudor arch in a square head, and a moulded stone
shelf. The stone overmantel has a heart-shaped panel
inscribed 1601/SB, and floral decoration between columns.
The room contains an Elizabethan four-poster bed.
The attic bedrooms reveal nothing of the roof construction. The south-west room has some 17th-century
panelling and in its fire-place recess is some re-used
linenfold panelling, and there is some similar panelling
in the modern north porch.

Near Borde Hill are two houses dating from about
1600. Naldred's Farm is L-shaped. The main block,
facing east, has some of the original timber-framing in
both side walls and in the north gable-end: the rest has
tile-hanging to the upper story. The house has been
lengthened to the south in modern times. The central
chimney-stack, of the usual rebated type, has wide fireplaces inside, and the rooms have chamfered ceilingbeams. Sugworth Farm has been mainly refronted in
brick, but the semi-gabled north end retains the original
square framing with brick infilling. The roof is covered
partly with Horsham slabs and partly with tiles, and
has a central chimney-stack of cross plan.

The village of Staplefield lies about 3 miles northwest of Cuckfield Church and has a large triangular
green west of the church, the junction of five roads,
with modern buildings about it and a War memorial
of granite at the eastern angle. Staplefield Place, west
of the green, is a large modern building of timberframing with a Horsham slab roof.

Tyes Place, (fn. 13) east of the green, is an L-shaped house,
of which the east wing incorporates a medieval hall.
A floor was inserted in the 16th century, perhaps by
William Butler, whose daughter Margaret in 1588
married Lawrence Washington, a direct ancestor of
George Washington. Externally the house has been
refaced with brick and tile-hanging, and the whole was
enlarged some forty years ago; but some of the rooms
retain their open-timbered ceilings and have wide fireplaces, that in the dining-room having a Tudor arch to
the opening, surmounted by a carved arabesque frieze.

Little Ashfold Farm, 3/8 mile south of the church, is
a mid-15th-century building, facing west. It retains
one bay, about 12 ft. of the original great hall, with a
very fine arched roof-truss, and the north solar wing
with curved braces in its side walls. A moulded wallbeam across the north end of the hall-place is partly
buried in the first floor, inserted c. 1600, when the
central chimney-stack was built in south of the great
middle truss. The south part of the hall and the buttery
wing have been replaced by modern brick walls. The
roof, steep-pitched for thatch, is now tiled. The heavy
tie-beam is chamfered and the soffit is curved in the
middle to complete the arch formed by the two curved
braces below it. The upper half of the truss and other
roof construction is hidden by the first-floor ceilings.

A by-road to the south of Ashfold Farm has two
cottages of c. 1600. One, facing west, has old timberframing in the upper story of the front and a north end
chimney-stack, probably once the central chimney-stack
of a larger building. The other, ¼ mile south-east of the
first, has brick walls to the lower story and weatherboarding covering the timber-framing of the upper
story. It has a central chimney-stack of early-17th-century bricks. Inside, both have wide fire-places and
open-timbered ceilings.

Rocks Farm, ¾ mile north-east of Staplefield Church,
is a stone-built house of about 1650 with mullioned
windows and roof covered with Horsham slabs, above
which is a rebated chimney-stack of thin bricks. In the
same neighbourhood 'Dillion's' and 'Old House' appear
to be of early-17th-century date, and a barn east of
'Dillion's' is of three bays with fine roof-trusses of c. 1600.

Manors

The manor of CUCKFIELD(fn. 14) is not
mentioned in Domesday Book, but the
church is recorded as being in the possession of William de Warenne about 1090. (fn. 15) Certainly
from 1240 the manor was held in demesne by the
Earls Warenne, and it descended with the Barony (fn. 16)
down to the 16th century. By the partition of 1415
the whole manor was assigned to Edmund Lenthall, (fn. 17)
but after his death was divided among the remaining
heirs, and in the late 16th century is found in three
portions, a moiety in the hands of Lord Bergavenny, (fn. 18)
a quarter in the possession of the Earl of Derby, and
the remaining quarter in that of Philip, Earl of Arundel.

In 1575 Henry, Earl of Derby, conveyed his quarter
to Henry Bowyer, (fn. 19) who built Cuckfield Place as his
residence and died in 1589. (fn. 20) His son Sir Henry
Bowyer held the estate until his death in 1606, when
it passed to his nephew Sir Thomas Hendley, the son
of his sister Anne. (fn. 21) Sir Thomas was succeeded in
1656 by his son Walter, (fn. 22) who was made a baronet in
1661 and died in 1675, leaving an
only daughter Mary, who married
first William More and secondly
William Clarke. (fn. 23) The latter
mortgaged the house and estate in
1687, (fn. 24) and again in 1693, to
Charles Sergison, who eventually
purchased it. (fn. 25) Charles Sergison,
Commissioner of the Navy and
Clerk of Accounts, (fn. 26) lived at
Cuckfield Place until his death in
1732, when his estates passed to
Thomas Warden, son of his niece
Prudence Sergison and her husband Thomas Warden. (fn. 27) Thomas
the younger took the surname of Sergison on inheriting
the property, and shortly afterwards acquired the second
quarter of Cuckfield manor, as will presently appear.

Sergison. Argent a cheveron between three dolphins sable with a roundel between two fleurs de lis argent on the cheveron.

The quarter of Cuckfield manor which was owned
in the 16th century by Philip, Earl of Arundel, was
sold by him in 1585 to Walter Covert of Slaugham. (fn. 28)
From Sir Walter the property passed in 1632 to his niece
Anne and her husband Sir Walter Covert of Maidstone, (fn. 29) and in turn to their two sons Thomas (d. 1643)
and John, (fn. 30) though it was held in 1665 by Diana Baynham, daughter of Thomas. (fn. 31) From Sir John Covert
(d. 1680) it passed to his daughter Anne, the wife of
Sir James Marton, and to their son James, (fn. 32) whose wife
Mercy survived him and married secondly Charles
Goodwin. (fn. 33) Mercy Goodwin apparently sold her
quarter of Cuckfield Manor in 1735 to Thomas
Sergison (fn. 34) (formerly Warden), who had already inherited the first quarter.

The moiety of Cuckfield thus acquired passed from
Thomas Sergison to his brother Michael in 1766, (fn. 35)
who evidently owned it until his death in 1784, since
he held courts there in 1770 and 1781, (fn. 36) though his
daughter's husband Francis Jefferson (who later assumed the surname of Sergison) appears as the owner
in 1778. (fn. 37) Francis and Anne inherited in 1784, and
Anne continued to hold the moiety as a widow until
her death in 1806, (fn. 38) after which her three children
had the property in turn, Warden Jefferson Sergison
dying in 1811 and his brother Francis in 1812. (fn. 39)
Their sister Anne, wife of the Rev. W. S. Pritchard,
in turn took the name Sergison, and her son Warden
George Sergison inherited the estate in 1848. (fn. 40) In
1865 he acquired the remaining half of Cuckfield
manor from William, 4th Earl of Abergavenny, (fn. 41) in
whose family it had descended until then. (fn. 42)

The whole manor, thus reunited, descended from
Warden George Sergison to his son Major Warden
Sergison in 1867 or 1868, and to Capt. Charles Warden
Sergison, son of the latter, in 1888. (fn. 43) At his death in
1911 his property devolved upon his eldest daughter,
Prudence, who married Col. (now Major-Gen. Sir
Bertram) Sergison-Brooke and died without male heirs.
The younger daughter, Cynthia, married Sir Basil Stanlake Brooke, bart., and her son John Warden Brooke is
heir to the property, subject to the life interest of Sir
B. N. Sergison-Brooke.

In 1255 John de Warenne obtained the grant of a
weekly market on Tuesdays at his manor of Cuckfield,
and a yearly fair, to be held on the vigil, feast, and
morrow of the Nativity of St. Mary (fn. 44) (8 Sept.). In 1312,
however, the day of the market was altered to Monday,
and a fair was granted for the vigil, feast, and morrow of
the Holy Trinity; (fn. 45) both fairs were held in 1465. (fn. 46)

In 1670 licence was given to Sir Walter Hendley and
five others to hold a weekly market at Cuckfield, for the
benefit of the inhabitants. (fn. 47) In 1792 there was a
Friday market, and fairs on Whit Thursday, 25 May,
16 September, and 29 November; but all these had
lapsed by 1888. (fn. 48) A weekly stock-market on Tuesdays
was apparently transferred to Haywards Heath in
1868. (fn. 49)

The custom of Borough English obtained in the
main manor of Cuckfield and in the small manor
attached to the vicarage. (fn. 50)

CUCKFIELD PARK(fn. 51) was early a preserve of
the Earls Warenne and from 1280 onwards complaints
of trespass in it were frequent. (fn. 52) It descended with the
Barony of Lewes and was divided in the same way, one
half passing to Lord Bergavenny. (fn. 53) In 1439 it contained 229 acres, (fn. 54) and the manors of Slaugham and
Pangdean were anciently held by the service of fencing
a certain portion of the Park. (fn. 55) It was disparked in
the 16th century, (fn. 56) and the Bergavenny moiety was
leased for £10 in 1567 to Thomas Michell and his son
John for their lives, and in 1615 to Sir Walter Covert
and others, during the lives of three of the children of
Sir Walter's niece Jane and her husband Ninian
Burrell. (fn. 57) The other half of the park appears to have
gone with the quarter of Cuckfield manor originally
held by the Earls of Derby, for in 1613 it was in the
possession of Sir Thomas Hendley, (fn. 58) and he still had
'liberty of park' in 1646. (fn. 59) Free warren is mentioned
as late as 1685. (fn. 60)

BENTLEY PARK(fn. 61) [Benetlegh, Bentele (xiv cent.)],
the name of which remains in Great Bentley Farm and
Little Bentley Wood, in the north-east of Cuckfield
parish, is first mentioned in 1312, (fn. 62) when it belonged
to Earl Warenne. It descended with Cuckfield Park, (fn. 63)
the Bergavenny moiety being leased in 1565 to Henry
Bowyer and his sons, (fn. 64) and the other moiety passing
with the quarter manor to Sir Thomas Hendley (fn. 65) and
descending to William Clarke, who was holding it in
1687. (fn. 66) Ten years later it was in the hands of Charles
Sergison, (fn. 67) and is mentioned among the possessions of
his descendants as late as 1778. (fn. 68) In 1439 the park
had an extent of 226 acres. (fn. 69)

The so-called manor of CUCKFIELD CLAUDITOR seems to have consisted merely of the proceeds
of the ancient office of 'Park Clauditor', an official who
collected the rents due for the inclosing of Cuckfield
Park. (fn. 70) It descended with the manor of Cuckfield
until the death of Edmund Lenthall, when, under the
guise of rents in Cuckfield, it was held in dower by his
widow Margaret Tresham. (fn. 71) In the subsequent
division of the Lenthall manors 1/8 appears in the hands
of Thomas, Earl of Derby, who died in 1521, (fn. 72) and the
Wingfield 1/8 appears to have been conveyed under the
name of Cuckfield (q.v.) to Joan Everard in 1539,
appearing as Cuckfield Clauditor in the possession of
the Bellinghams in 1602 and 1605. (fn. 73) In 1648, Cicely,
cousin and heir of Sir Edward Bellingham, with her
second husband Henry Rolt and her son Walter West,
conveyed her 1/8 to Sir Thomas Hendley. (fn. 74)

The manor of HALDLEIGH, [Haldelegh, Aldelegh (xv cent.)] now Halleighs, was a member of the
manor of Cuckfield (fn. 75) and appears with that manor
among the possessions of Beatrice, Countess of Arundel,
in 1439. (fn. 76) It descended with Cuckfield Clauditor
(q.v.) at least until 1648, (fn. 77) and is mentioned as 'Haulligh or Haully' in 1687, (fn. 78) and as 'Hally or Hallies' in
1697. It was then the property of the Sergisons, and
lay between Ockenden and Mill Hall. (fn. 79)

BOLNORE [Bulnore (xvi and xvii cent.)] (fn. 80) manor
is first mentioned in 1559, when it was in the possession of George Davie. (fn. 81) He was still living in 1581, (fn. 82)
but Bolnore evidently passed soon
after to the Ward family, by the
marriage of Mary Davie with
Richard Ward. (fn. 83) The property
seems to have been divided, the
main part with the manorial rights
passing to the Wards, but a portion
in the hands of a certain Joan being
acquired by her husband Thomas
Anstye or Holcombe. Thomas died
in 1597 and Joan married secondly
William Cooke, who was dead before 1613, when Joan surrendered the property to her son
Walter Anstye. At his death in 1640 it passed to his son
Thomas, whose widow Elizabeth Holcombe or Anstye
left it in 1688 to her son Thomas. (fn. 84) The 'manor or
capital messuage', however, was in the hands of George
Ward, son of Mary Davie, early in the 17th century, (fn. 85)
and he died seised of it in 1625, when it passed to his
son John; (fn. 86) it was said at this time to be held of the
manor of Trubweek. (fn. 87) John died in 1660 and his sons
John and George were both dead by 1670, when
Bolnore passed to George's son John. (fn. 88) At his death
in 1718 it was inherited by his daughter Elizabeth, wife
of William Paulet or Powlatt, who died in 1753 leaving
it to Jasper Ward. (fn. 89) The latter conveyed the manor as
Bolnore and Wigperry in 1783 to James Cooke, (fn. 90) who
was holding it in 1790 (fn. 91) and died in 1813, leaving
a daughter Elizabeth Ward Cooke, wife of Henry
Nailand. (fn. 92) However, it apparently reverted to the Ward
family shortly afterwards, for Mary Elizabeth Ward was
the owner in 1823, (fn. 93) and James Cooke Ward in 1825. (fn. 94)
One year later it was in the possession of Admiral Sir
John Wells, (fn. 95) and in 1870 was owned by Miss
Dealtry, (fn. 96) who left it to her relative, Mr. Henry
Woodcock, (fn. 97) and the estate was subsequently bought
by the late Sir Alexander Drake Kleinwort, bart. It
is now owned and occupied by his youngest son, Cyril
H. Kleinwort, esq.

Ward. Azure a cross paty or.

The manor of HOLMSTEAD [Mortimers alias
Olmested (xvi cent.); Hampsted alias Holmested (xvii
cent.)] was held in 1597 of the manor of Plumpton (fn. 98)
(q.v.). Early tenants may have been John ate Holme
in 1327 and William Holmsted in 1379. (fn. 99) It was
held by John Chaloner in 1496 and 1532. (fn. 100) From his
son William, who died in 1557, it passed to his son
Ninian, (fn. 101) who was holding the manor in 1582 (fn. 102) and
1584. (fn. 103) In 1588 it was conveyed by Giles Garton and
Margaret his wife to Ninian Burrell, (fn. 104) who was Ninian Chaloner's
cousin, and he died seised of it in
1614. (fn. 105) His son Walter was succeeded in 1671 by his son Ninian,
who only survived him for three
years. Ninian's son Walter died in
1683, (fn. 106) leaving a rent of £60 from
the manor, if not the manor itself,
to his sister Jane, wife of Peter
Short. (fn. 107) Walter's heir was his
brother Ninian, but in 1700–1 the
manor was conveyed to Thomas
Short (fn. 108) by Richard Hulse and
Elizabeth and Sir George Choute, perhaps trustees,
and Peter Short, son of Jane and Peter, was holding it in
1734. (fn. 109) Subsequently it was sold to Peter Burrell, grandson of Jane Short's uncle Peter. (fn. 110) In 1778 Elizabeth
widow of this Peter Burrell was holding Holmstead, (fn. 111)
and at her death it passed to her son Peter, 1st Lord
Gwydir. (fn. 112) Alberic son of Peter Robert, 2nd Lord
Gwydir, sold the manor in 1833 to Andrew Chittenden,
from whom it was acquired by Captain Dearden, who
was the owner in 1900. (fn. 113) Holmsted Manor is now the
residence of James Galloway, esq. (fn. 114)

Burrell. Vert three scutcheons argent each having a border engrailed or.

The manor of LEGH [Lee (xvi cent.); Leigh (xvii
cent.)] was said in the 16th century to be held of the
barony of Lewes by knight service. (fn. 115) A family of Legh
is found in Cuckfield during the 13th and 14th centuries, William de Legh being mentioned in 1218, (fn. 116)
and others of the name down to John Leghe in 1393. (fn. 117)
In 1400 the manor is said to have been held by John
Bassett, (fn. 118) but after that nothing further is heard of it
until 1509, when Alfred Barwyke settled it on himself
and his wife Agnes with remainder to John Caryll and
his heirs. (fn. 119) In 1540 Henry
Hussey of Slinfold settled it on
himself and his wife Eleanor,
niece of Agnes Barwyke, (fn. 120) with
remainder to his son John, (fn. 121) who
succeeded to it in the following
year. (fn. 122) John Hussey was followed in 1572 by his son John,
who was holding Legh in 1587
and died in 1600, (fn. 123) when it
passed to his son Nathaniel. (fn. 124) In
1627 Mary widow of John Hussey and Mary widow of Nathaniel conveyed the manor
to John Stapley, and in 1634 George Hussey son of
Nathaniel also released his right in it. (fn. 125) John Stapley
died seised of Legh in 1639, leaving directions that the
manor should be sold. (fn. 126) John Burrell of Cuckfield was
holding courts there from 1651 to 1690 (fn. 127) and settled
it on his daughter Mary, who married William Boord
in 1687, (fn. 128) and in 1707 they sold it to Charles Sergison. (fn. 129)
Legh then descended with the other Sergison manors in
Cuckfield. (fn. 130)

Hussey. Barry ermine and gules.

PAINS [(Paynes (xvi to xviii cent.)] in the middle
of the 16th century was in the possession of John
Hussey, who owned Legh, (fn. 131) of which it was part.
The estate was evidently sold to John Porter, who died
in 1599 leaving a son Sackville, (fn. 132) from whom it seems
to have been acquired by Henry Ward. (fn. 133) The latter
died in 1634 and was succeeded in turn at Pains by
his sons Henry (who died in 1664) and John, whose
daughter Jane married Henry Plumer, succeeded her
father in 1673, and died in 1677. (fn. 134) Henry Plumer
was succeeded by John, probably his son, who was
living in 1690, and whose sister Jane married Robert
Norden. (fn. 135) The latter was holding Pains in 1705 (fn. 136)
and had a son James, who succeeded to his manor of
Marshalls (q.v.), but its subsequent history is obscure.

The manor of MARSHALLS [Marshallys (xvi
cent.)] was held by Ninian Ward about 1583. (fn. 137) From
Ninian's son John, Marshalls passed about 1592 to his
son Henry Ward of Pains, (fn. 138) and thereafter descended
with the manor of Pains (q.v.) until it came into the
hands of James son of Robert Norden. (fn. 139) His grandson
James Norden sold Marshalls some time after 1754 to
John Tomlinson, from whom it was bought by Henry
Edwards. (fn. 140) In 1770 it was conveyed by Henry Edwards and various members of a family named Baker
to Charles Langford, (fn. 141) who sold it before 1784 to
Francis Warden, (fn. 142) from whom it descended to the
Sergisons, (fn. 143) owners of the main manor of Cuckfield.

The manor of SLOUGH [Slowes (xvi cent.);
Slowe, Slowe Greene (xvii-xviii cent.)] was held by
John Hever, who in 1543 settled it on himself and his
wife Joan. (fn. 144) John died in 1558 and his son Thomas, (fn. 145)
with his son Richard, in 1582 conveyed Slough to
Edward Jenner. (fn. 146) Three years later Edward and Mary
Jenner sold the manor to Walter Covert, (fn. 147) presumably
the Sir Walter who was knighted in 1591. It seems,
however, to have been leased to, or at least occupied by,
his cousin George Covert, who is described as 'of
Slowe' and died in 1611. (fn. 148) It passed, however, to the
main line of the Coverts before 1639 and descended
with their manor of Slaugham until 1672, when it was
sold with that manor to Sir William Morton. (fn. 149)

It is, however, not heard of again until 1764, when
it reappears in the possession of Thomas Lintott. (fn. 150)
He sold it in 1781 to Francis Warden, (fn. 151) in whose
family it descended. (fn. 152)

The reputed manor of SUGWORTH(fn. 153) [Southworth
alias Sugworth (xvii cent.)] was held of the main manor
of Cuckfield. (fn. 154) Members of a family of Suggeworth are
mentioned in this district between 1235 and 1365, (fn. 155)
but nothing definite is known of the estate until 1528,
when William Bryan of East Grinstead sold 'Sugworths
and lands and tenements at Sugworth' to another
William Bryan, whose sons Thomas and John sold
them in 1560 to George Boord. (fn. 156)
George acquired another 20
acres of it from Francis Carew in
1574, (fn. 157) and died in 1581 leaving
Sugworth to his widow Thomasine for life, (fn. 158) after which it was
held by his son Sir Stephen
Boord, (fn. 159) except for a portion
which went to the second son
Edward. (fn. 160) Sir Stephen was succeeded in 1630 by his son John, (fn. 161)
who died about 1648. (fn. 162) His
son and grandson William sold
Sugworth in 1693 to Timothy
Burrell, (fn. 163) who was holding it at his death in 1717 and
left it with his other property in trust to his brother
Peter for his granddaughter Elizabeth. (fn. 164) Its subsequent
history is lost.

Boord. Party fessewise gules and azure a scutcheon in an orle of martlets argent.

TRUBWEEK [Trobewyk (xiii cent.); Trubwyke,
Trubwicke (xvi-xvii cent.)] was said in 1612 and 1774
to be held of the manor of Plumpton Boscage. (fn. 165) Its
courts were held with Haywards Manor. (fn. 166) The earliest
recorded tenant is John de Trobewyk, who was holding
a messuage and land in 'Trobewyk and Haywothe' in
1276. (fn. 167) Richard de Trubwyk grandson of Maud de
Trubwyk is mentioned in 1328. (fn. 168) Trubweek first
appears as a manor in 1488, in the possession of William
Covert, who held courts there until 1494. (fn. 169) He was
then succeeded by his son John, from whom the
property passed in 1503 to his cousin Richard
Covert, (fn. 170) who held a court there in 1508. (fn. 171) In 1531
the manor was held by Richard Homewood (fn. 172) but by
1554 was held in thirds by Richard Covert, John
Roberts, and Michael Homewood. (fn. 173) John Roberts
eventually acquired the Covert portion and was holding
two-thirds in 1563–7, (fn. 174) the other third being held
by Henry Homewood, who was still in possession of it
in 1576. (fn. 175) The two-thirds of Trubweek passed about
1572 to John and Mary Hardham, (fn. 176) who were still
holding that portion in 1594. (fn. 177) It remained in that
family, Nicholas Hardham holding his first court in
1638 and continuing until 1662, (fn. 178) after which his
widow Elizabeth, with others, including her brother
John Burt, conveyed the property to John Warden, (fn. 179)
whose father had previously acquired the other third.
Henry Homewood's third part was divided about 1579
between Thomas Jenner and John Homewood, (fn. 180) and
in 1592 Lawrence Homewood conveyed his sixth to
Thomas Jenner, (fn. 181) who then held the third part of the
manor until 1612, when he sold it to John Warden. (fn. 182)
The latter died in 1649–50 and his widow then held it
until her death, (fn. 183) when their son John succeeded to it
and in 1662 purchased the rest of the manor. Trubweek
thereafter descended with the other property of that
family in Cuckfield, going to the Wardens, afterwards
Sergisons, (fn. 184) holders of the main manor.

The manor of HAYWARDS [Hayworthe (xiv-xvi
cent.); Heward (xvii cent.)] was said in 1784 to be
held of the Crown as of the manor of East Greenwich
by rent of 4d. a year. (fn. 185) It gave its name to a family
living there in the 14th century, Philip de Heyworth
being mentioned in 1308 (fn. 186) and John de Hayworthe
in 1358. (fn. 187) It first appears as a manor in 1542, when
as 'Hayworth' it was conveyed by Nicholas Mascall and
Agatha his wife and John his brother or son to John
Robardes. (fn. 188) By 1594 the manor had come into the
possession of John and Mary Hardham, the holders of
two-thirds of the manor of Trubweek, who in that year
settled it upon Thomas Jenner and James Hardham and
the heirs of Thomas. (fn. 189) In 1662–3 Elizabeth widow of
Nicholas Hardham, with others, conveyed two parts
of the manor to John Warden. (fn. 190) The subsequent
history of the manor is not clear, but it seems that
from this time Hayward and Trubweek, which were
adjacent, (fn. 191) descended together and formed part of
the property of the Sergison family. (fn. 192) The lords of
Trubweek had rights of common on Haywards Heath. (fn. 193)

A family of the name of Tye was settled in Cuckfield
as early as the 13th century, when John atte Tye made
grants of land there. (fn. 194) John de Tye was paying subsidy in the vill of Cuckfield in 1327. (fn. 195) A manor of
TYES(fn. 196) was in existence at least from 1397 to 1403, (fn. 197)
but nothing further is known of it until 1492, when it
was in the possession of John
Michell, who died in 1525. (fn. 198)
His son John in 1546 left it to
his son Edmund, (fn. 199) who was
succeeded in 1558 by his son
Thomas. (fn. 200) In 1585 Thomas
Michell sold the manor to William
Butler, (fn. 201) whose son Roger was
holding it in 1619 (fn. 202) but mortgaged it in 1627 to Henry Bellingham and finally conveyed it
to him in 1632. (fn. 203) Henry Bellingham is said to have sold Tyes in
1638 to Richard Shelley, (fn. 204) and it descended in that
family to another Richard, who was holding it in 1695. (fn. 205)
His son Henry succeeded to it in 1716 and died in
1735, (fn. 206) leaving a son Henry, who was the owner in
1786 and died in 1805. (fn. 207) His son Henry Shelley died
unmarried in 1811, leaving four sisters, (fn. 208) but the subsequent descent of Tyes is not recorded.

Michell. Sable a cheveron between three scallops argent.

A small manor attached to the VICARAGE belonged to
the incumbent for the time being. (fn. 209) Possibly a payment
of 6d. due from the Prior of Lewes to the Duke of Norfolk 'for the manor of Cokfeld' (fn. 210) in 1535 may refer to this.
It is now extinct, all the holdings having been freed.

Church

The parish church of the HOLY
TRINITY consists of a chancel, north and
south chapels, and north vestry, nave of
four bays, north and south aisles, north and south
porches, and a west tower with a spire. The walls are
of Sussex stone rubble and the roofs are covered with
Horsham slabs.

Foundations of a probably 12th-century church
have been traced below the floor. The length of its
nave tallied with that of the three western bays of the
present arcades, and there was a small chancel. Enlargement began about 1250 with the addition of the south
aisle and arcade, perhaps some alteration of the chancel,
and the erection of the West Tower, up to the bell
chamber. A great increase in size took place about
1330–40: this included the lengthening of the nave
by one bay to the east, the addition of the north aisle
of four bays, and the complete enlargement of the
chancel, with north and south chapels of the same width
as the nave aisles. Also the raising of a clearstory above
the nave. Although the top story (bell chamber) of the
tower has more the appearance of a late-13th-century
addition, it is probable that the construction of the
clearstory caused its heightening at the same period.
Whether the slender spire is contemporary is uncertain. About 1460 the chancel and nave were given
a new roof and ceiling, and the chapel and aisle
walls were heightened and their lean-to roofs raised
to form one continuous slope with the main roof. The
clearstory windows were as a consequence covered
in and rendered useless. New windows were inserted
in the east walls of chancel and chapels and perhaps also
enlarged in the side walls for additional light. Buttresses
were added to the angles of the tower, perhaps because
of the erection of the spire at the same time. The two
porches retain some timbers of the same century.
The north vestry or 'Sergison Chapel' was added in
the 16th or 17th century. Heavy buttresses had to be
provided about this time against the south aisle wall
because of pressure from the roof. The church was
restored in the middle of the 19th century and few of
the windows retain ancient masonry externally. The
tower has been reinforced by two additional west
buttresses and provided with a south stair-vice.

The chancel (34 ft. by 21 ft.) has a modern east
window of five lights and tracery of late-13th-century
character. The former window, of the same width, had
its sill some 4 ft. lower, and the ancient dressings of the
15th century remain in the wall below the modern sill. (fn. 211)
Above is a sex-foiled bulls-eye window of the 14th
century. On the north and south sides are 14th-century
arcades, of two bays, to the side-chapels: each has a
hexagonal pillar with responds to match, with moulded
capitals and bases (excepting the restored chamfered
base of the north pillar) and two-centred arches of two
chamfered orders. East of the arcades were doorways to
the chapels from the sanctuary; both are blocked. The
northern shows only its segmental-pointed rear-arch
towards the chapel, the southern has a chamfered
pointed arch towards the chancel: it is recessed towards
the chapel and has a similar rear-arch. The chancel
steps and altar-pace are much higher than the original
levels and encroach on the doorways. The lofty
chancel-arch is similar to those of the arcades. The
east wall is gabled and retains the old kneelers and four
or five dressings of the angles that existed before the
roofs of the chapels were heightened.

In the south wall is a piscina of the 13th century.
It has a trefoiled head to the inner order, carried on
shafted jambs with moulded bases and capitals and an
acutely-pointed outer order: the sill (only 8 in. above
the raised sanctuary-floor) has the remains of a basin
of twelve foils: its face has been cut back; there is a
stone shelf behind the capitals.

The north chapel, now converted into an organchamber (11½ ft. wide), has an east window of three
trefoiled lights and vertical tracery in a two-centred
head with an external hood-mould and hollow-chamfered four-centred rear-arch. It is of the 14th century
but considerably restored. In the north wall is a window
of three trefoiled ogee-headed lights under a square main
head: all the masonry is modern. East of it is a 16th-century doorway into the vestry with a depressed Tudor
arch. The west archway—to the north aisle—is a low
one of similar detail to the others. On the west face
above it can be seen the line of the slope of the original
aisle-roof.

PARISH CHURCH of HOLY TRINITY CUCKFIELD

The north vestry (or 'Sergison Chapel') is of the
16th or 17th century and has walls of rubble with
ashlar dressings, and a chamfered plinth: the east and
west walls are gabled. It has a modern window in the
east wall and another in the north, both of three lights:
west of the latter is a doorway with 15th-century
moulded jambs reset, a modern Tudor arch and old
four-centred chamfered rear-arch. The modern
panelled oak ceiling hides the construction of the gabled
roof, which is covered with old Horsham slabs.

The south chapel (c. 11½ ft. wide) has a restored
east window, like the other but with a chamfered twocentred rear-arch. In the south wall are two windows
of three lights under square heads like that in the north
wall and of modern stonework. West of the second is a
doorway with old chamfered jambs and two-centred
head and segmental-pointed rear-arch: it is dwarfed by
the lifting of the pavement level. The west arch is
like that of the north chapel. The chapel has a carved
oak altar-table and reredos of c. 1910 and pavement of
white and serpentine marble.

The nave (72 ft. by 21 ft.) has a 14th-century north
arcade of four bays with hexagonal pillars and other
details like those of the chancel-arcades. The three
western bays of the south arcade are of about mid-13thcentury date and have cylindrical pillars with plain
capitals and moulded abaci and bases: the arches are
pointed, of two orders with small chamfers and small
voussoirs. The pier between this arcade and the bay
east of them is composite, having the half-round east
respond of the original arcade, a length of straight face
where the east wall of the nave and south aisle originally
met the wall, and the half round west respond of the
easternmost bay. This is of greater diameter than the
others and is most probably a respond of the original
chancel-arch re-used by the 14th-century builders.
The east respond of the bay (a half-hexagon) and the
two-centred arch are of the 14th century, like the others.
Above the arcades are the original windows of the 14thcentury clearstory, three on each side. Each is a quatrefoil with inner splays and segmental-pointed rear-arch.
The outsides of them are concealed by the aisle roofs.

The north aisle (c. 12 ft. wide) has two modern
windows like that to the chapel, east of the north doorway. The eastern has old plastered splays inside and
segmental rear-arch. The third window, west of the
doorway, is of three elliptically headed lights probably
of early-16th-century date, partly restored. It has a
crude external label. The doorway, of two chamfered
orders and with a pointed head, has been restored. In
the west wall is a modern window of three trefoiled
lights and vertical tracery.

The walls are of rubble with much mortar and have
a chamfered plinth. Between the chapel and aisle is a
heavy modern buttress. Both east and west walls show
the later alteration to a steeper pitch, in squared stonework, and a still later strip of repair at the top. At the
north-east angle of the chapel is a diagonal buttress
partly buried in the wall of the vestry.

The south aisle (11½ ft. wide) has three south windows: the eastern of three lights like those in the chapels,
with old plastered splays, the other two, each of three
lights, entirely modern, as is the west window. The
south doorway, of two chamfered orders and twocentred head, has been reset, except the outer order of
the jambs, which are covered with old plaster. The
walls show, more distinctly than on the north, the later
heightening. At the south-east angle of the chapel
is a diagonal buttress of ashlar, possibly original.
Between the chapel and nave-aisle, and east of the
porch, are two very heavy buttresses, 16th or 17th century enlargements of original buttresses. At the
west end is another of the 14th century, projecting
southwards.

The west tower (18 ft. square) is built of rubble, in one
unbroken stage, up to the string-course below the bellchamber: above this it is of squared rough ashlar and
has a corbel-table of trefoiled arches and an embattled
parapet. The string-course is of plain sloping section.
At the two west angles are 15th-century diagonal
buttresses of three stages reaching to the string-course:
they are of rough squared ashlar, and have plain offsets
and chamfered plinths. The main walls have no plinth.
Against the west wall are two modern buttresses and
on the south side a modern stair-turret. The 14thcentury archway to the nave has semi-octagonal responds
of small courses, with moulded bases and capitals and
a pointed head of two chamfered orders of small
voussoirs, as in the south arcade. The west doorway is
of two chamfered orders with base-stops, and a pointed
head: the impost moulding was of the same section as
the abaci in the archway but has now mostly perished.
Above it is a fairly large lancet window, and in the
north and south walls are smaller lancets, the southern
covered by the modern stair-turret. The second story
has a small lancet in each wall: the eastern looks into the
church below the nave ceiling. The bell chamber has
a lancet in the middle of each wall and two others,
rather smaller, set to the east of the north and south
windows. These lancets differ from those below in
being of two chamfered orders instead of one, but the
inner order has been cut away in some of them for
additional light: all have slate luffers. Above the tower
rises a tall slender octagonal spire, splayed out to square
at the base and covered with oak shingles: at the apex is
a ball and weather-cock.

The north porch is modern, except the middle tiebeam, which may be of the 15th century. It is of timberframing on dwarf stone walls and has glazed side-lights
and a pointed entrance. The south porch has also been
renewed, except for a 15th-century truss with a cambered tie-beam and curved braces.

The roofs of the chancel and nave are of one date and
design. From the badges &c. in the bosses they appear
to have been erected by Edward Nevill. Lord Bergavenny, c. 1460. The chancel is divided into three
bays by two intermediate tie-beams and the nave into
four bays with five tie-beams, one at each end and three
between. These tie-beams are moulded and embattled
and are supported by moulded wall-posts and curved
brackets: the spandrels are filled with varying tracery,
some with red rose centres: in the west truss of the
nave the north spandrel has a shield gules with two
interlacing staples (gold), a Nevill badge, and on the
south side a scroll inscribed 'Jhesu maria'. The wall
plates repeat the moulding of the ties. The trusses
obtrude on the three north clearstory windows, and on
the westernmost on the south side. The roofs are of
trussed rafter and collar-beam type and have wagon
ceilings of five sides, divided into panels by moulded
ribs, which have bosses at the intersections, variously
carved: in the chancel most are of leaves with interlacing stalks, but others have (1) the crowned monogram SR, (2) a flat shield gilded and with faint traces
of the letters ihs, (3) a foliage or floral carving, possibly
a fleur de lis, over which has been nailed a similar flat
shield with ihs, (4) a crowned gilded portcullis with
apparently lion supporters, painted red, (5) and (6) red
roses, (7) a red griffin, (8) and (9) interlacing staples.
In the nave are similar badges, including the interlacing staples, and red roses and a black bull with a
chain. The panels are covered with modern paintings.
The corbels on which the trusses rest have modern
angels holding shields and scrolls. The roofs of the
chapels and aisles have modern boarded soffits, and
the only signs of age are several corbels and short posts
in the nave-aisles bolted to the wall at the 15th-century
heightening, and one ancient plain principal rafter
exposed above the organ.

In the vestry is a 17th-century framed oak chest of
hutch type, 4 ft. by 1 ft. 9 in. by 1 ft. 9 in. high: it has
three locks and strap-hinges. The font has a round bowl
which has been broken, patched, reworked, and relined
with lead: it may be of the 13th century: it is carried
on modern shafts. In the south chapel is a second
piscina, a plain round basin in a square-headed recess.
In the south wall east of the main south doorway is a
mutilated holy-water stoup with a round-headed niche,
and in the south porch is another.

There are four monumental brasses: (fn. 212) (1) on the
south wall of the south chapel; an inscription to Gerard
Borell (or Burrell), Archdeacon of Chichester and Vicar
of Cuckfield (d. 17 Apr. 1509), with a shield of the
arms of Burrell. (2) On the north wall of the north
aisle; an inscription to Milicent wife of John Michell
(d. 10 Nov. 1524). (3) In the floor of the south chapel;
the standing effigy of a bearded man in Elizabethan
armour, with ruff, sword, and dagger, and a mouthscroll bearing—o prais the lord. The inscription is
lost, but the two shields, dexter, Bowyer, and sinister,
Bowyer impaling Vaux, show that it commemorates
the same Henry Bowyer as the next. (4) On the north
wall of the south chapel; on a panel flanked by Ionic
shafts of black marble and alabaster, with a moulded
shelf and entablature, the effigies of a man in Elizabethan armour and his wife kneeling at a prayer-desk,
with three sons and two daughters kneeling behind them;
above is a shield of arms of Bowyer impaling Vaux; the
inscription commemorates Henry Bowyer and Elizabeth
his wife, daughter of Thomas Vaux of Caterlen, near
Penrith; no date is given, but he died in 1589.

There are numerous mural monuments and tablets
of later date. Many of these are to members of the
Burrell family; one in the south chapel, to Ninian
second son of Ninian Burrell (d. 10 Nov. 1629) has his
kneeling effigy in a recess with curtains held open by
standing angels. There are also several to members of
the Sergison family, including one, on the north side
of the sanctuary, to Charles Sergison, Commissioner of
the Navy (d. 26 Nov. 1732, aged 78), representing a
sarcophagus on which is seated a figure of Truth holding
a plaque carved with his portrait, also supported by a
cherub, carved by Thomas Adey.

High on the south wall of the chancel is a funeral
helm of the Tudor period, with a beaver; it is reputed
to be that of Sir Walter Hendley, and is set between two
banner-staves.

In the tower are preserved the disused works and
frame of a clock, dated 1667, with the initials I. L.: it
was in use until 1867 and was placed here in 1904.

Of the eight bells, six were re-cast and two others
added in 1815. (fn. 213)

The communion plate includes two silver cups of
1636 inscribed 'Cockfield in Sothsex'; two patens of
1682 given by Tobias Henshaw, vicar and Archdeacon
of Lewes; a stand-paten of 1726; two pewter flagons
(1628), and two pewter patens. (fn. 214)

The churchyard is spacious and well kept. There
are modern lych-gates at the north and north-west
entrances. South of the church are a number of 17thand 18th-century head-stones.

Three ledger slabs re-laid at the entrance to the north
porch are probably ancient: one is of Petworth marble:
no inscriptions are visible. North of the church is a
memorial cross to four who died in the South African
War, 1900–2, and south of the church another to those
who died in the Great War of 1914–18.

The parish church of St. Mark, Staplefield, designed
by B. Ferrey in 1847, consists of a chancel and nave
in the style of the 13th century, with a west bell-cote.
It has a memorial of the Great War in marble with
bronze name-plates and a middle mosaic of St. George,
and another bronze memorial to Boy Scouts who died
during the war.

Advowson

The church of Cuckfield was
granted to the Priory of St. Pancras
at Lewes by William de Warenne between 1091 and 1098. (fn. 216) In 1250 St. Richard, Bishop
of Chichester, ordained a vicarage with a resident
priest, the rectorial tithes remaining with the Priory (fn. 217)
while the patronage was made over to the bishop. In
1291 the rectory was worth £14 13s. 4d. and the vicarage
£6 13s. 4d., (fn. 218) but in 1535 the farm of the rectory was
£6, and the value of the vicarage £20 13s. 1½d. (fn. 219) At
the Dissolution in 1537 the Prior surrendered the rectory
and advowson of Cuckfield to the king, (fn. 220) who granted
them in 1538 to Thomas, Lord Cromwell, (fn. 221) and after
his attainder to Anne of Cleves in 1541. (fn. 222) At her death
in 1557 they reverted to the Crown, and were apparently given for a while to Cardinal Pole (d. 1558). (fn. 223)
The advowson was then for a time in the hands of the
Crown, but in 1571 the Bishop of Chichester resumed
his right of presentation (fn. 224) and the patronage has remained with the bishopric ever since. (fn. 225)

In 1559 the whole of the rectory and the great tithes,
were granted to James Hardwick. (fn. 226) The rectory
consisted of a curtilage called Monkencourt and six
portions of tithes called Hayworth, or Haywards,
Anstye, West Bayley, Southnie, Staplefield, and
Bentley. (fn. 227) In 1560 James Hardwick conveyed the
rectory to John Hussey (fn. 228) of Pains. Portions of tithes
became separated among different landowners, but all
are now payable to the Sergison estate. (fn. 229)

In 1847 the parish of Staplefield was formed out of
Cuckfield, the vicarage of St. Mark's Church being in
the gift of the vicar of Cuckfield.

In 1865 a new parish of St. Wilfrid's, Haywards
Heath was formed, and in 1910 the patronage was
transferred from the vicar of Cuckfield to the Bishop
of Chichester and in 1911 part of the original parish
of Cuckfield was added to it. The Church of the
Presentation, New England Road, and St. Edmund's
church in Wivelsfield Road are attached. In 1916 a
new ecclesiastical parish of St. Richard was formed from
St. Wilfrid's, the Bishop of Chichester appointing the
vicar.

Charities

Fanny Jemima Cleare, by will proved
24 Sept. 1927, gave £100, the income
therefrom to be paid to the treasurer of
Cuckfield Congregational Church for the benefit of the
Sunday School connected with the said church. The
income derived from the investment of the legacy
amounts to £4.

Leonora Emily Maberly, by will proved 15 Dec.
1922, gave £100 to be applied by the vicar to the Clergy
Endowment Fund. The endowment produces about
£3 10s. annually.

The Hon. Jane Whitchurch Chichester, by will
proved 23 Nov. 1929, bequeathed £250 to the vicar
and churchwardens, the income to be applied towards
the maintenance of the parish church. The endowment
produces £8 10s. annually.

William Stevens, by will proved 29 Nov. 1934, gave
premises known as White Cottage, Cuckfield, to the
Sussex Congregational Union, the income to be paid
to the treasurer of the Congregational Church at
Cuckfield towards the maintenance of the minister or of
services in the church or towards the upkeep of the
fabric of the church. The cottage has been sold and the
income derived from the investment of the proceeds of
sale amounts to £22 10s.

Middleton and Burrell's Charities. The Rev.
Robert Middleton bequeathed £30, the interest to be
applied to school poor children of the parish. Timothy
Burrell, by will dated in 1716, gave a further £20 upon
the same trusts; he also gave a further £100 to be laid
out in the purchase of land, the rent to be applied in
providing bread for six poor persons. The several sums
were laid out in the purchase of a freehold messuage in
Cuckfield on the above-mentioned trusts. The charities
are now regulated by schemes of the Charity Commissioners, dated 1 Feb. 1895 and 11 Sept. 1934,
which provide for a body of trustees to administer the
charities, and direct that one third of the income shall
be applied to educational purposes and the remaining
two thirds to pensions to poor persons who have resided
in the parish for not less than five years preceding their
appointment.

6. A crude sketch made in 1681 (Suss.
Arch. Coll. xxv, 81) shows in this position
a three-sided bay, or oriel, window to the
first and second floors; it is not clear
whether it was continued to the groundfloor to form a porch.

7. The roundel about the knight contains an inscription which, being choked
with whitewash, is not legible. The checky
charge is for Warenne; the devices refer to
later overlords of the manor, the Stanleys,
Howards, Nevills, and Mowbrays.

8. Arms of Bowyer of Cansiron, in East
Grinstead (Suss. Arch. Coll. lxx, 164).
Henry Bowyer, the builder of the house,
married Elizabeth Vaux.